


klaus' stories

by JkWriter



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Addiction, Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Music, Piano, Pre-Apocalypse, drug overdose
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-07
Updated: 2019-04-11
Packaged: 2020-01-05 18:31:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18371705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JkWriter/pseuds/JkWriter
Summary: klaus in many different universes(aka a week of one-shots exploring various aspects of klaus hargreeves)





	1. piano

Vanya was learning the violin. “It’s because she’s ordinary,” Allison said during training. They could hear her lessons through the floorboards. A kind voice correcting her, Vanya’s excitement at getting a passage correct. 

“I don’t see why she’s so excited. It’s just the violin,” Luther said taking Diego down again. They were always being paired up together. Luther and Diego. One and Two. Klaus thought it was unhealthy, how they were obsessed with being better than each other. Dad didn’t see it that way and encouraged the rivalry. It wasn’t going to end well one day.

“I think it’s pretty cool. She’ll actually have something useful once we get out of here,” Five said. Five wasn’t training with them today but he was still there, monitoring and taking notes while their dad was dealing with the damages from their latest mission.

“It’s an instrument, how is that useful?” Diego said as he stepped off the mat. Allison took his place. Klaus knew how this was going to end. “Is she wanted something useful then she would be up here with us.” 

“Dad won’t let her train.” Ben reminded. Ben was sitting with Klaus, off to the side and avoiding the fight. The two of them, they weren’t meant for fighting. Klaus’ ability was pretty useless in a fight unless someone’s beloved dead grandmother was following them around. Ben just didn’t like it, didn’t like what he could do.

“Why is she allowed to get out of training? Not very fair if you ask me,” Diego said, plopping down next to Klaus. 

“Because she’s ordinary,” Allison repeated. She already had Luther pinned. It was never going to be a fair fight. Luther was weak when it came to their sister.

“I like the music,” Klaus said, picking at peeling wallpaper. “I wanna learn an instrument too.” 

“Well, duh. You’re kinda ordinary too.” That hurt. Klaus knew his ability was kind of useless but he didn’t need Luther reminding him. “Wait,” Luther started. Damage control, but the damage was already done. “I didn’t mean it in a bad way.” 

“All good, tiny Hulk. I know what you meant,” Klaus said. He pushed himself up from the floor. “I’m done training today. I’ll see you guys later,” he said, knowing that leaving early meant no dinner. Klaus didn’t care. He didn’t want to train. He wanted to go see Vanya, she’d be nice to him. She might even let him play her violin.

“Klaus, wait!” 

He didn’t wait for Diego and when Ben grabbed his arm he barely looked over his shoulder. He didn’t have to when he knew his brother was going to be frowning, telling him he can’t keep missing meals because it’s not healthy.

“Let go, Ben.” 

“No. I’m coming with you.” 

“‘Mr. Don’t Get in Trouble, Klaus’ himself is joining me in getting in trouble? Is this the end? I see a light, Ben the light is there. It’s very bright.” 

“Shut up, I just don’t want you to get in trouble alone.” 

Diego grabbed both Klaus and Ben’s wrists and pulled them out of the training room. “This is all very sweet but if we want to not get caught we need to leave now.” 

“Why Diego! A man after my own heart.” 

“I will punch you.” 

“With love?” 

“With pain.” 

“Sounds like love to me.” 

Diego didn’t respond, Klaus took it as a win. He smiled at Ben, who gave him a nervous smile back. Klaus still couldn’t believe Ben was here. Ben hated getting in trouble. It was like, his biggest fear or something. Okay, that was an exaggeration, but the sentiment was there. Still, his brother followed along behind Diego to the ground floor where Vanya was in the middle of her lesson. Mom was teaching it, which might have been why Diego came. 

“Oh, boys! Is your training done already?”

“Something like that,” Diego said. He dropped Klaus and Ben once they were safely in the music room. Dad never came in while Vanya was practicing and they were using that to their advantage. “Mom, we want to learn instruments.” 

“Oh! I think that’s a wonderful idea!” Mom turned back to their sister who was standing there patiently. Klaus waved, trying to make her crack a smile. It worked and she giggled. “Vanya, could you please play through section A again?” Vanya nodded and the music started. Mom turned her attention back to the three of them. “What would you like to learn?” 

“I wanna learn bass,” Diego said confidently. Klaus wondered how long he had thought about his answer for it to come so easily. 

“You will be an excellent bass player, Diego. I’ll add it to the shopping list. Ben, honey, what would you like?” 

“Oh, um, I’m not really sure.” 

“That’s alright. We can try a few things out until we find what sticks. Klaus, do you know?”

What did Klaus want to learn? He liked the way Vanya’s violin sounded, but he didn’t want to copy her. Violin was Vanya’s thing, he wanted something to be just his. 

“Is the piano hard?” 

“Not at all! I’m sure you’ll be a wonderful pianist.” She took Klaus’ hands. “You’ve certainly got the fingers for it. I’ll talk to your father about setting up lesson times for all of you.” 

“Thanks, mom,” Klaus said. Mom dropped his hands and went back to Vanya, correctly her posture. 

If Klaus was being honest, he didn’t think dad was going to go for the lessons. He was all about saving the world and training them to be the best they could, which is why he was shocked when during their Saturday free time mom pulled him from the den with his siblings down to the music room. 

“Uh, mom? What’s going on?” 

“Your piano lesson, sweetheart. Your father said if you and your brothers are going to study an instrument it had to be in your free time. Since I can’t teach all of you at once I’m going to do it one at a time.”

“Oh. Dad’s actually letting us learn?”

“Of course. Music is a vital skill and it could benefit the three of you in the long run. Just be sure not to sacrifice you’re training.” 

“Right. Training above all else got it.” 

“Very good, Klaus. Your father would be proud of your priorities.” 

“Of course he would.” In the middle of the music room was a grand piano Klaus had never seen before. He stopped at the door, staring at the instrument because surely it was a joke. Dad didn’t care about him enough to let him play this. 

“Is something wrong, Klaus?” 

“I...Dad got this for me?” 

“Of course he did, silly. We couldn’t use the one in his study, it’s very out of tune and not fit for a member of the Umbrella Academy.” 

It all came back to the Umbrella Academy. Klaus hated it. Was his worth always going to be equated to the spirits following behind him? Diego and Ben might think there’s something waiting for them outside the academy, but Klaus knew better. They were always going to be the superhero kids and Klaus was always going to be the useless one. Nothing would change that. 

“Klaus?” 

“I’m ready to play.”

But that didn't mean Klaus couldn't try.


	2. college

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> klaus was smart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is another one of the ones that'll probably become a chaptered fic at some point because you can't write it in a one shot but I tried and oh boy it was rushed

After Five left they assumed Vanya or Ben was the smartest. They were the only two whose grades even came close to those of their missing brother, or least the only two who showed off their A’s. They had their own reasoning, Vanya desperate for any sort of approval their father might give and Ben wanting to prove he was more than just the monsters under his skin. Everyone else fell in line under them, comparing each test grade to discover their educational worth. Everyone except Klaus. 

He didn’t care about comparing himself to his siblings. They never asked about his grades, assuming he was below all of them with how often he came to their lessons high on unknown pills bought in the alley near their house. 

“Klaus, what is the infinitive of volo?” 

Klaus groaned, sinking down into his chair. He didn’t understand why mom was always calling on him when Diego was raising his hand in front of him.

“Klaus?” She asked again. Luther and Allison were snickering in the front row. Beside him Vanya was dutifully taking notes on everything mom said. On his other side Ben was fidgeting. He leaned over toward Klaus. 

“Velle,” Ben whispered. 

“Might it be velle?” 

“Very good, Klaus!” She smiled at him and Klaus felt warm. Was this was Diego was always begging for her attention? Klaus would have to start fighting for it if it felt this nice. “Latin is almost over. I’m going to hand back your conjugation quizzes before we transition into math. Everyone did very well.” She laid the quizzes face down on their desk as though they weren’t going to compare grades as soon as they got them. 

“I got a ninety-four,” Vanya said, showing her quiz to Allison and Luther. The two of them scowled. “What’d you get, Ben?” She wasn’t even bragging, she was just genuinely curious about his grade. Vanya was too good for this world. 

“Ninety-three.” Ben said. He flipped the quiz over for them to see. “I messed up on nolo.” 

Klaus listened as his siblings talked about their scores and where they went wrong. He stuck the quiz in his folder with the rest of them, “one hundred” circled on top of each. The grades were his own little secret. Something that set him apart from his siblings, from the useless one to the smart one. 

At home tests and quizzes only go so far. At eighteen people start leaving the nest and Klaus is left alone with this crippling fear that the one thing keeping him tied to reality will be taken away. It’s not like he can tell anyone this. Vanya and Diego are gone, Ben’s being taken on more and more missions with Luther and Allison, and Five’s dead or gone or something. That led to Klaus, having long been deemed useless on missions, spending more time home alone. It was his childhood dream except now he that he had it he wanted nothing more than to be surrounded by his family. 

“Useless, Number Four.” His father said at Klaus lounging on the couch. “How are you supposed to ever be a productive member of society if you spend all day sitting at home?” 

He didn’t spend all day sitting at home. He went out. Usually after dark when he could meet his dealers away from prying eyes. 

“Well, maybe if we actually learned some useful life skills then I would actually be able to do something in life.” 

“You were the smartest of your siblings. Go to school. Find a job. Or become an active member of the Umbrella Academy.” 

His father said that with the intention of bringing Klaus back into the field. Fuck that, Klaus thought. He was the smartest of the kids. He was going to apply to university. God knows what he’ll go for, something “useless” daddy dearest would never approve of. That’ll show him. 

“Hey Ben,” he said later that night after his brother had returned. “Can you read this for me?” He held out the essay he had written for his application. Klaus figured the optional essay wasn’t necessary, his name alone could get him into any school in the country, but he wanted to do this as authentically as possible. Another fuck you to dad. 

“Sure. What’s it for?” Ben took the papers. Klaus sat back in his chair and said: 

“College essay.” 

“Excuse me, what kind of essay?” 

“College. Dad thinks I spend too much time sitting around at home so I’m applying to a few colleges.” 

“You’re going...To college?”

“Yeah,” Klaus shrugged. “I figured why not. Nothing’s happening for me here and this way I’ll at least get out of the house.” 

“I thought you hated school.” 

“I never said I hated school, I just hated how all of you would put yourselves up against each other. I never saw the point.” 

“Wait, Klaus where were you in our rankings?”

“Does it really matter?”

That was all the answer Ben needed. “Oh my god, Klaus you should have told us!” 

“Like I said, I never saw the point in comparing myself to you guys. Besides, it was the one little secret I got to keep to myself.” 

“Still, they always teased you.” 

“Didn’t bother me. I never needed the validation like everyone else.” 

“Well, I’m still proud of you.”

“Awe, thanks Ben. Am I your favorite yet?” 

Ben laughed. “Shut up.” He looked through the essay. “Where are you applying? Have you thought about your major? Is dad going to pay for it?” 

“Couple schools in North Carolina, figured it was far enough away dad wouldn’t bother me but close enough I can come up to visit you guys. Maybe an arts major? Something that’ll piss dad off.” 

“Somehow the fact that you would get a degree in something just to upset dad doesn’t surprise me. Maybe a language? Linguistics seems like something you’d enjoy.” 

“Ooo, then at the next family get together I can bust out my new language. I like it.” 

Klaus got into school, and then Ben died. He found out when his brother made a surprise appearance in his apartment at three am. Klaus wanted to drop out. Ben was the only reason he stayed, his brother’s insistence that he finish what he started. So Klaus did. He got his degree in the first language he saw on the website. 

It never came up, even after he returned home. Klaus didn’t even use his degree. Another “fuck you” to the man who made his life a living hell. “You paid for this and I’m not even using it haha”. Except that it affected Klaus a little bit more. Dad never cared about him going to school and he certainly didn’t care Klaus was killing himself with drugs. Ben cared, and that’s all that mattered. 

Klaus never saw the point in mentioning it when they were all back together because they had bigger things to worry about like their little sister being the harbinger of the apocalypse and then they returned to the past. Klaus didn’t have the degree anymore, they wouldn’t have believed him if he told them. Until they had to. 

The rest of them find out because of an intercepted message. Суббота, пять утра. Рожмонт, Северная Каролина. Everyone’s staring while Five works on translating. 

“Maybe it’s a location?” Diego’s leaning over the table, casting a shadow over the message. Five huffed and moved it back into the light. 

“Or a person.” Allison supplied from her spot on Five’s bed. Much to his charaign, Five’s room had become their unofficial meeting space since returning to the past. 

“Or it could be the six of you shutting up and leaving me be.” 

“Five, we’re trying to help.” Diego said. Luther was blocking the door. Unless they suddenly forgot what Five’s ability was it was all for show. 

“Unless any of you can speak fluent Russian, get out.” 

“Я говорю русскии языке.” Six, well five, sets of surprised eyes stared at him. He shrugged. “Я изучал русскии языке в университете.” 

Diego was the first one to speak. “I’m sorry, is it just me or is Klaus speaking Russian?” 

“He studied it at university.” Ben said proudly, ruffling Klaus’ hair. Klaus smiled and pushed his brother off. 

“Did you just put Klaus and university in the same sentence?” 

“Hey, fuck you Allison you’re not the only smart one.” 

“No, it’s just, I thought you didn’t care about school?” 

“I didn’t. But not caring and getting the work done are two different things. Besides, dad said the only way he’d send me an allowance was if I went and got a degree. So I did.” 

“In what?” 

“Russian, kinda why I can speak it.” 

“Why would you get a degree in Russian?” Vanya asked. Klaus wanted to ask “why did you?” but held his tongue. 

“To piss dad off,” he said. 

“Is anyone else freaked out by the thought of Klaus going to college or is it just me?” 

“Not just you, Diego.” 

“Alright,” Five said, bringing the conversation to a halt. “All of you, except Klaus and Ben, leave.” Five ushered his siblings through the door. “Out.”

“Wait,” Luther stopped and his siblings ran into them. “why does Ben get to stay?” 

Five turned to Klaus. “How long did Ben follow you?” 

“From the time he died to you bringing us back.” 

“That’s why. Ben has the same education as Klaus, degree or not.” Five slammed the door on the others. He turned back to the two siblings, Ben looking nervous and Klaus grinning. “Shall we?”


	3. phone (emojis)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> diego gives klaus a phone

Diego bought him another phone. It wasn’t a good idea considering the last two meet unfortunate ends via a swimming pool and drop from the Empire State Building buT Diego was adamant that Klaus have a way to contact the family in an emergency, which meant another phone. 

Klaus hadn’t even been trying to kill the first two. They were complete accidents. Diego never told him they shouldn’t get wet, “It’s common sense.” “I never claimed to have common sense.” “You have a college education!”, and it wasn’t like he had thrown the second from the Empire State Building, it just happened to fall. He would own up to the fact that he probably shouldn’t have taken it on the mission, but Diego said have it on him at all times and he wasn’t about to disobey his brother with his own intuition even though he really should have known Diego hadn’t meant it literally. But he was taking really good care of the new phone. Allison had bought him a bright blue case that was supposedly waterproof, Klaus had been banned from testing it, and Vanya had gotten him a chain that went around his wrist to keep it from falling. Sure, there had been a few close calls but he hadn’t lost it yet. 

“What’s this?” Klaus asked pointing to the messages app. It was the third time Diego was explaining everything. Klaus understood after the second, but he liked hearing Diego’s voice.

“That’s the messages. If you want to talk but don’t want to call you can text one of us.” 

“Why would I not call? Not hearing your lovely voices defeats the purpose.” 

“Right.” Diego took the phone and pulled open the messages. “Let’s say it’s an emergency, you can’t talk, you press this and type in my name,” Diego pulled open his messages. “And write whatever you need. Then you press send and,” Diego’s phone pinged. “I receive your message.” 

“Okay, so it’s for emergencies.” 

“Or generally things, like if you need someone to pick up something.” 

“Would you buy my groceries if I sent you a list?” 

“Klaus, we live together. We have the same groceries. You already make a list every week.” 

“Oh, right. But what if I wanna make pasta and we don’t have tomatoes for a fresh tomato sauce?” He was having fun. Diego looked absolutely done with his shit, but Ben looked entertained. 

“If you’re that desperate for tomatoes I’ll get you tomatoes. But you have to be desperate. Don’t go asking for tomatoes just because you think you want to make pasta.” 

“Pasta is a serious thing. I would never just think I want to make it. I need to make it. It overcomes my body until there is only pasta.” 

“Sure, I believe you.” Klaus had a feeling Diego didn’t believe him. “Anymore questions?” 

“Nah,” Klaus said. He took pity on his brother, didn’t want to push Diego too far and end up with a knife in his shoulder. “Now shoo. I promised Ben I’d show him some of that tentacle porn he loves so much.” 

“What the fuck, Klaus! Don’t tell him that, he’s actually going to believe it! Diego, I do not like tentacle porn,” Ben said. It was funny because Diego couldn’t hear Ben, so he wouldn’t know if Klaus was telling the truth. 

And he didn’t. He did look horrified. “You said that so convincingly I don’t know if it’s true or not.” 

“It’s not,” Ben said at the same time as Klaus’ “One-hundred percent.” 

“I can’t believe you said that,” Ben said after Diego left. He was sitting on Klaus’ desk pouting. Klaus stayed on his bed going through the phone. He made an Instagram, against Diego’s advice, and posted a picture of the empty spot where Ben was sitting. Ben’s here. he captioned it. It didn’t take long for the likes to start coming in. Advantages of being a former superhero. 

“He’ll forget it after cracking some skulls.” Klaus switched to the messages sent a picture of a cat to Luther. “I’m gonna be famous,” he said screenshotting the message and posting it to Instagram with the caption acquiring a family pet. 

“You’re already famous,” Ben said. It was true. The Umbrella Academy, while no longer active, was still famous. Klaus was still recognized every time he went out. It was less awkward than it had been back when he was a junkie on the streets. Those times used to call for looks of pity and offers of aid. Klaus didn’t like asking for money off the streets, but he did to survive. 

“I’m going to be Instagram famous,” he clarified. Klaus found a picture of the Umbrella Academy from an early mission in Russia. “How do I write in Russian?” 

“I’m as clueless as you,” Ben said. Sometimes Klaus forgot his brother spent the last six years following him around and wasn’t exposed to technology. “Is there a Russian keyboard?” 

“Oo, great idea!” It was, except Klaus didn’t know how to search for that. “Um, how would I find that?”

“Google it,” Ben said. Klaus stuck his tongue out at Ben but brought up the search engine.

“Ugh, I hate Google.” Klaus searched smartphone keyboards. “They never give me the answer I want.” 

“That’s because you try to justify your drug abuse.” 

“Technicalities.” Klaus looked through various websites, not finding the answers he wanted. “Tsk.”

“Giving up already? How will you ever show off your glamorous life?” 

“I’m not giving up.” He reworded the search. It was amazing how much the results changed when you didn’t curse at Google. “Found it!” He said, shutting the safari. He found the keyboards under the settings. He added the Russian and went to close the app but paused. “What’s emoji? It doesn’t sound like a European language.” 

“I think it’s pictures.” 

“Oh my god.” Klaus added the keyboard. “Diego is going to love this.” 

“I have a feeling he didn’t tell you for a reason.” 

“Who cares? Not me. Look! It’s a little dude with sunglasses.” 

 

**TO: BD(iego)SM**

**_DIEGO. I discovered something important. Look!!!_ ** _  
_

Klaus sent Diego twelve of the little dudes with sunglasses. And then a cat. And a hamster. And the French flag. Ben looked over his soulder.

“Why France?” 

“Remember the Eiffel Tower? That’s why.” 

“Will Diego remember? You know he blocks out those earlier years.” 

Klaus thought about it. Ben was right, Diego tried not to remember too much about their childhood. He sent Diego sixty-three more emojis.

**FROM: BD(iego)SM**

**_klaus.  
why_ **

 

**TO: BD(iego)SM**

**_aren’t they great_ **

 

**FROM: BD(iego)SM**

**_I know i said text whenever you wanted to talk  
but im currently in the middle of something_ **

Klaus sent another cat. Then screenshotted the conversation and uploaded it to instagram, diego doesn’t appreciate me while he’s breaking the law

Eighty likes in two minutes. He was going to be famous.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my life went to hell and this fell behind but imma finish it dammit


	4. addiction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sometimes they were too loud and he got sloppy

Sometimes the drugs weren’t enough.

There were days when Klaus teetered on the edge of an overdose trying to silence the voices in his head. They were loud, screaming his name over and over like he could do something to help them. It would be enough to drive anyone crazy but Klaus wasn’t anyone. He spent a week locked in a mausoleum when he was thirteen and learned how to handle them. 

Klaus made himself laugh. “Learned how to handle them”, he should be a comedian. He leaned his head back and tossed the handful of pills into his mouth. He didn’t know what they were but the lot of them had been $20 in the alley outside the skating rink. “I should go to the comedy club,” he announced. 

“You should see a doctor.” 

“Shush, Ben. You’re ruining my zen.” 

Klaus hadn’t seen Ben in a few days. His brother disappeared sometimes. He never asked where Ben went and Ben never supplied the answer. 

“What did you take?” Ben asked, kneeling down to where Klaus was sitting against the wall. 

“Um,”

“You don’t know.” 

“It’s not that I don’t know,” Klaus said in an effort to defend himself. “Craig told me, I think. I’m like, seventy-percent sure he told me.”

“Jesus Christ, Klaus. This is what I tell you not to do. Call Diego.” 

“I don’t wanna call Diego. He’s gonna yell at me about wasting my life away again.” 

“Because you are.” 

“I just want them to shut up.” 

“Please, call Diego. For me.” 

Ben was playing dirty. He was pulling the favorite sibling card just like Klaus used with Diego and Vanya. Ben knew exactly what he was doing, and Klaus hated that it was working. 

“Okay. Okay, I’ll just get up.” He tried to get up and promptly fell back down. “No I won’t.” Klaus started laughing. And then he started coughing.

“This isn’t funny, Klaus. You need to call Diego.” 

“Ben, my dude, I can’t call him if I can't get up.” 

“I don’t care. You need to try again.” 

Klaus did. He tried again and again until frustrated tears were falling down his face. Why couldn’t he get up? He had taken plenty of pills before. What was different this time? 

“Ben?” 

“I’m here.” 

Klaus looked over to see his brother. Ben, for all his dark and brooding nature, looked concerned. It was as though he was being forced to watch his brother overdose. Oh. Oh god. 

“Am I going to die?” Ben disappeared. This was the worst time for the drugs to actually do their job. “Nononono, don’t do this Ben. Come back, please come back. I don’t wanna die alone. I don’t wanna die. Ben, please.” 

If only Reginald Hargreeves could see him now. The esteemed Number Four, crying on the floor of a seedy motel room for his dead brother. Always a disappointment he would say and then leave because Reginald Hargreeves was an asshole who didn’t care about his children, just the abilities they possessed. Look where that got him. Depressed, abusing drugs, and overdosing. Such a superhero. The door started banging. It was just his luck that the spirits would gain such power in his dying moments.

“Klaus?” He would really appreciate if the ghosts would leave him alone. Can’t they see he was dying to avoid them? They really had no respect. “Klaus, if you don’t answer me I’m breaking this door down.” And demanding too. They were too demanding. Klaus this, Klaus that. It was demand after demand after demand. 

The door broke. Well, more like it was kicked from the hinges. He couldn’t remember spirits being that strong. And was that? 

“Diego? When’d you die?” Klaus whined. This wasn’t fair. Diego was his favorite brother after Ben and now they were both dead.

“Shit.” 

“Why wasn’t I invited to the funeral?” At least he’d be with them soon enough.

“Sh...Shut up, Klaus.” Diego dropped next to him and grabbed his wrist feeling for a pulse. Well, at least that meant he was alive. And Ben was behind him. Klaus tried to wave but his hand just flailed weekly. “What’d you take?”

“I don’t know but dude it made me feel great. I don’t anymore. Diego, am I dying?” 

“No, you’re not dying. Fuck. I’m calling an ambulance.” Diego’s hands left him. Klaus felt cold. Really cold.

“Ben, am I going to die?” 

“No, you’re not going to die.” Diego answered. He couldn’t see Ben. He probably thought Klaus was crazy. Maybe Klaus was crazy. He was overdosing because the ghosts wouldn’t leave him alone. No sane person could say that. “You’re not going to die,” Diego repeated. His hands were all over Klaus, feeling his pulse, holding his face, pulling him upright. Normally Klaus wouldn’t have a problem being manhandled like this, he actually found it quite enjoyable on a good night, but right now it just made his stomach lurch.

“You’re lying,” he gasped out. He fell back, lying against Diego’s chest. Diego encased him in his arms, rocking him like he used to do when they were younger and Klaus was plauged by a particularly nasty night. “You’re lying ‘cause you’re my brother. You have to lie.” 

“Dammit Klaus,” Diego held his hands. “You’re not going to die, I promise.” Klaus wanted to say something, maybe something poetic like “don’t make promises you can’t keep” but everything hurt. Was this what dying felt like? He’d ask Ben, but then Diego would really think he was crazy. 

He asked anyways. 

“Is it supposed to hurt this much?”

“Klaus, you’ve overdosed of course it’s going to hurt.” 

“Shh, I’m not talking to you, Di. I’m talking to Ben.” Klaus raised a shaky hand and pointed at the spirit Diego couldn’t see. That didn’t matter, because Klaus could see Ben and that meant he had two brothers comforting him. 

“He’s right,” Ben said. “You’re overdosing. It’s supposed to be one of the most painful ways to die.” 

“Oh, that’s nice.” Klaus threw up on the floor. “I’m going to sleep now.”

“Nope, no you’re not.” Diego dragged them towards the door. “Ambulance is going to be here any minute and you’re going to be fine.” 

Klaus didn’t say anything snarky back. He already blacked out.

**Author's Note:**

> i have a [discord](https://discord.gg/Pwah8sR) come join the klaus angst 
> 
> prompts: piano, college, emojis, cats, addiction, acting, dave
> 
> some (most) of these are going to feel like chaptered fics and thats because idk how to write one shots, I'll eventually go back and expand on a few (piano and college are the ones I've really enjoyed) but that's a future project


End file.
